Vest of the cummerbund type and adjusting means therefor



Sept. 26, 1961" R. A. SERRANO VEST OF THE CUMMERBUND TYPE AND ADJUSfiIfiG THEREFOR Filed Nov. 9, 1959 United States Patent My invention relates to that type of abbreviated vest adapted to be worn. about oneswaist as. a decorative garment designed for use with tuxedo or fulldress coats, and commonly referredtoin. the. trade as. cummerbunds;

It is a purpose of my invention to provide 'a vest of this character having simple, inexpensive and effective means by which it can be readily adjusted to vary the circumference thereof so as to fit ones waist irrespective of its circumference, and to thus eliminate the making of vests in different sizes for persons of various size waists.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a vest of the cummerbund type in which the adjusting means therefor comprises only two relatively short and elastic straps, each adjustably secured between their ends to one end of the vest body by a buckle to vary the combined length of the two straps when connected by a two-part third buckle the parts of which are not adjustably connected to the confronting ends of the two straps and when coupled to each other they function to hold the straps extended and under tension as preadjusted to maintain the vest in proper position about the waist of a wearer.

A further purpose of my invention resides in the provision of a cumrnerbund type of vest which includes loops on the inner side of the vest as worn, through which the uncoupled ends of the straps can be extended to hold those portions of the straps at one side of the strapadjusting buckles extended and fiat at the inner side of the vest.

I will describe only one form of vest and one form of adjusting means therefor embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view as seen from the front showing one form of vest embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the vest.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged, fragmentary and elevational view showing one end of the vest body and the corresponding adjusting strap and buckle.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the adjusting buckles in open or strap-releasing position and showing how it is associated with the vest body and the corresponding adjusting strap.

FIG. 7 is a view showing in perspective one part of the coupling buckle as mounted on the corresponding strap.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the vest of my invention comprises a normally flat body portion 14 which may be made of silk and is composed of a rear layer 15 and a front layer 16. The layer 16 may be formed with pleats 16a extending longitudinally thereof, although it will be understood that any design other than pleats may be employed. The body portion 14 is gradually tapered in width from its medial portion to the ends thereof.

For connecting the tapered ends of the body portion 14 to each other so as to maintain the vest in circular form about the waist of the wearer, there is provided two identical straps 17 and 18 preferably formed of elastic material that is capable of being stretched lengthwise, two identical adjusting buckles 19 and 20 for the straps, and

a coupling buckle consisting of two parts. 21 and. 22: which when interengaged serve to detachably connect the straps to each other.

Each strap 17. or 18 is folded upon itself at one end thereof and then stitched to form a closed loop 23. for permanently mounting one buckle part 21 or the other 22 on the confronting ends of'the straps as the vest is applied to the: wearer so that such parts can be engaged one withv the other to connectthe straps to each other; The buckle parts 21 and 22 are of conventional form, and their construction and how they engage each: other should be ap-- parent from the drawings.

Each adjusting buckle 19 or 20- comprises a movable clamping member 24 having terminal cars 25, and a stationary member 26 having a serrated jaw 27 provided with pins 28 at its opposite ends received in the ears for pivotally mounting the members 24 on the member 26. The

member 26 also includes a plate 25 extending substantially at right angles from the jaw 27 and provided with a slot 30. A closed loop 31, preferably of elastic material, is secured at its ends by stitching to the respective end of the body portion 14 between the layers 15 and 16, after being extended through the slot 30, thereby permanently connecting the member 26 to the body portion.

Each strap 17 or 18 can be extended between the members 24 and 26 of one of the buckles 19 or 20 and adjusted longitudinally therethrough when the member 24 is in the open position shown in FIG. 6. Once an adjustment of the strap has been effected the member 24 is pressed to the strap-clamping position shown in FIG. 4, thereby causing the teeth 27 to partly penetrate the strap and thus hold the same in longitudinally adjusted position. It will be noted that the member 24 is by the pins 28 mounted eccentrically on the jaw 27 so that when once moved to strap-clamping position it remains in such position until manually swung to released position.

Those ends of the straps 17 and 18 opposite the ends carrying the buckle parts 21 and 22 are folded and stitched to form pointed terminals 17a and 18a respectively to facilitate extension thereof beneath loops 32 and 32a respectively stitched to the back of the body portion 14 to hold those portions of the straps projecting from the buckles 19 and 20 to the pointed terminals in extended position between the wearers back and the vest.

To apply the vest to the waist of the wearer of a particular size the straps 17 and 18 are first individually adjusted through the adjusting buckles 19 and 29 in the manner previously described, and until the combined length of those portions of the straps extending between the adjusting buckles and the coupling buckle is such that when the parts 21 and 22 are coupled after extending the vest about the waist, the straps will be placed under tension to hold the vest snugly about the wearers waist. Once the strap adjustments have been made and before applying the vest the pointed ends 17a and 18a of the straps are inserted beneath the loops 32 and 32a thus holding those portions of the straps projecting from the buckles to such ends extended and flat against the inner side of the vest.

From the above description it will be manifest that the vest-adjusting means of my invention is simple and inexpensive to construct and apply to any vest of the cummerbund type to render it readily adjustable in corcumference to fit waists of various sizes and thereby eliminating the necessity of making vests in different sizes as is the present practice.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of vest and adjusting means therefor embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a vest of the cummerbund type having an elongated wide main body of non-elasticmaterial and of sufficient length to embrace the front and either side of the Waist of the wearer; that improvement in attached adjustable means for securing the cummerbund detachably to the wearer which comprises similar loops secured to each end of said wide main body, a toggle type over-center adjusting buckle held permanently assembled to each end of said main body by said loops, a pair of elongated narrow straps having one end of each permanently assembled to one of a pair of mating fast-action coupling members quickly engageable and disengageable with respect to one another, the other ends of said pair of straps extending in opposite directions from one another and being normally interlocked in a desired adjusted position within an associated one of said toggle type adjusting buckles with the free remote ends of said straps positioned against the interior surface of the main body of said cummerbund, and keeper means carried by the interior of said main body at either end thereof embracing said strap ends to hold the same concealed when the cummerbund is fitted to a wearer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mackenzie May 9, 1933 

